Folding chicken-coop



(No Model.) 2 SIQeets-Sheet 1. A. B. BRADFORD.

FOLDING OHIOKENGOOP. No. 393,058. Patented Nov. 20, 1888.

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' A. B.. BRADFORD.

FOLDING CHICKEN COOP. No. 398,058. Patented Nov. 20, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT 01mins.

ABNER B. BRADFORD, OF VIOLA, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING CHICKEN-COOP.

ESPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,058. datedNovember 2O 1888.

I Application filed August 25, 1888. Serial No. 283,106. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABNER B. BRADFORD, acitizen of theUnitedStates,residing at Viola,

in the county of Mercer and State of Illinois,-

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Ohicken'Ooops, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in folding chicken-coops; and itconsists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices, thatwill be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

- The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and simple chickencoop, which is adapted to be readily set up and to be folded into a verysmall space for packing and transportation.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a chicken-coop embodyingmy improvements, showing the same when set up ready for use.- Fig. 2 isasimilar view ofmyimproved chickencoop when the same is folded. Fig. 3is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, partlyin elevation, of myimproved chicken-coop. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view ofthe same. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of myimproved chicken coop,

showing the same folded.

The bottom of the coop comprises an open rectangular frame, B, havingrabbets O in its sides at their upper corners and the bottom D,which arearranged transversly in the frame and have their ends secured in therecesses G by means of screws or nails. Projecting from the rear side ofthe frame is a vertical flange or board, E, thelength of which is equalto the length of the frame, and hinged to the upper side of the saidboard and adapted to fold inward over the bottom of the coop is arectangular frame, F, which is covered by a piece of cotton fabric, G.If preferred, wire or other netting may be substituted for this fabric.This frame F and the fabric or netting G constitute the rear side coop.

H represents a rectangular frame, which is of the same size as thebase-frame B, and is hinged at one side to the upper side of the frameF, and is adapted to be folded down upon the said frame. Stretched onthe upper side of the frame H is a cloth or wire-netting,

- H, near the free'end of the latter, depend dowelpins K, which areadapted to enter openings L in the ends of the frame F on the inner side1 thereof. In the ends'of the frame H, near its inner corners, aresimilar openings, M, which are adapted, when the coop is knocked down,to be engaged by dowel-pins N, which project from the inner side of theframe F, near its upper corners.

0 represents a rectangular frame, which has its lower edge secured onone end of the baseframe B by means of a pair of hinges, P, the saidhinges adapting the said frame 0 to fold inward and to bear snugly onthe bottom of the coop. Stretched on the said frame 0 is a cloth orwire-netting, B, said cloth or netting and said frame constituting oneend of the coop.

In the rear side of the frame 0, near the upper corner thereof, is arecess, T, which is adapted to receive one of the dowels N, and on theupper side of said frame 0, near the front corner thereof, is a similarrecess, U, in which one of the dowels K is secured.

Adjoining the frame 0 is a door, which comprises a rectangular frame, W,in the upper and lower sides of which is secured aseries of verticalbars or slats, X, the latter being arranged at suitable distances apart.This door V has one side connected to the front side of the frame 0, atits upper and lower corners, by means of a pair of hinges, Y, whichadapt the said door to be folded within the frame 0 and. to bear againstthe fabric or netting It thereon, so that no portion of the said doorshall project beyond the frame, thereby adapting the said door and saidframe to lie in the same plane.

From the upper side of the frame B, at the end thereof opposite theframe O,.projects a vertical transverse flange, Z.

A represents a rectangular frame, which has its lower end connected tothe said flange by means of apair of hinges, B, which adapt the frameAto be folded inward over the frame 0 after the latter has been foldeddown from the bottom of the coop. On the said frame A is'stretched afabric or netting, O, and said frame and said fabric or nettingconstituteo'ne ,end of the coop. On the inner side of the frame A, nearthe upper corner thereof, is a recess which is adapted to be engagedbyone of the dowels N, and on the upper side of the said frame, near itsfront upper corner, is a recess, E, which is adapted to receive one ofthe dowels K of the top frame, ll.

Adjoining the side is a door, which is composed of a rectangular frame,G, and a series of vertical bars or slats, X, which extend between itsupper and lower sides. The said door is connected at one side to thefront side of the frame A at its upper and lower corners by means of apair of hinges, Y, which adapt the said door to be folded within theframe A, so that it will lie in the same plane therewith.

K represents a catch, which has its inner end hinged on the door, nearthe inner upper corner thereof, and said catch is provided withdepending side flanges, L, which are adapted to bear against the sidesof the doors, and when the same are in line with each other, so as tosecure the upper ends thereof together. To the lower ends of the doors,on the inner sides thereof, are hinged bars M, from which project rodsN. Said bars and rods comprise gates, which are adapted to be foldedwithin the doors or to be extended o downward therefrom, so as to closethe spaces between the lower sides of the doors and the "bottom of thecoop, and thereby prevent the fowls in the coop from scratching trash orlitter out of the same.

Vertical bolt-rods O are secured in guides I? on the inner sides of thedoors, and are adapted to engage openings R in the center of thebase-frame B, at the front side thereof, so as to secure the doors whenthe same are arranged, as shown in Fig. .1, to close the front side ofthe coop, and a pin, S, is adapted to be inserted in transverse alignedopenings T in the meeting sides of the doors, so as to lock the sametogether. i

U represents a pair of spring-catches,which project from the upper sidesof the frames 0 and A at the front corners thereof, and are adapted toengage pins in vertical openings V in the top frame near its frontcorners, so as to lock the upper ends of the end frames to the said topframe and secure the coop in the position shown in Fig. 1.

In order to fold the coop into a small space for packing ortransportation, the doors are first swung into the end frame, the gateshaving been turned upward in the lower ends of the said doors, the frame0 is folded flat on the bottom of the coop, the frame A is folded downupon the frame 0, the top frame is folded inward against the frame F,and said frames F and the top frame are bolted down upon the frame A, asillustrated in Figs. 3 and 5.

A coop thus constructed is particularly adapted for exhibiting fancypoultry at fairs and expositions, is extremly light,cheap, and simple,is strong and durable, and will be found of great practical utility.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. The combination of the bottom,the ends hinged at their lower sides to the ends of the bottom frame andadapted to fold inward thereon and over each other, the rear side hingedat its lower edge to the rear side of the bottom and adapted to foldforward thereon, the top hinged at one edge to the upper edge of therear side, and the doors hinged'to the front edges of the ends andadapted to fold inward thereon, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the bottom, having the flange E at its rear sideand the flange Z at one end, with the end frame 0, hinged at its lowerside to one end of the bottom and adapted to fold upon the same, theendframe A, hinged at its lower side to the flange Z, the door hinged tosaid frames and adapted to fold within the frames, the rear frame, F,hinged at its lower side to the flange E, and the top frame hinged tothe upper side of the rear frame, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a folding coop hav-' ing the hinged ends and ahinged side, of the doors hinged to theends and adapted to fold withinthe same, and the gates hinged to the lower sides of the doors,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presonce of two witnesses.

ABNER B. BRADFORD.

Witnesses:

G'Eo. FUGATE, J r., S. ATWATER.

